Parliament of Uganda will seek technical support from Commonwealth member states through the Commonwealth Secretariat to strengthen the capacity of legislators and staff and to digitise its processes, Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa said.
Tayebwa made the remarks on Thursday during a meeting with Commonwealth Secretary-General Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, who was paying her first visit to Uganda in the role. Botchwey was accompanied by Uganda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Adonia Ayebare.
The Secretary-General said she had come to understand how the Ugandan Parliament is discharging its accountability mandate and to explore practical ways the Commonwealth could provide support.
Tayebwa identified two priority areas. “We need capacity building of our Members of Parliament so that we can effectively debate critical issues,” he said. “Also, digitisation is very important for an effective Parliament, and we would like to get support.” Tayebwa proposed that the Secretariat organise study visits and exchanges so Ugandan MPs and parliamentary staff could learn from other Commonwealth legislatures.
Botchwey undertook to work with Parliament on the issues raised, describing a strong parliament as a “key pillar of democratisation, accountability and the protection of liberties, values” she identified as central to the Commonwealth’s mission. One of her priorities is to make the organisation more relevant to young people, who constitute a large share of the population across member states.
Discussions touched on practical ideas for engaging ordinary citizens including the promotion of free education, entrepreneurship and skills development, dialogue among young people, and support for climate adaptation.
On the performance of the current Parliament, Tayebwa said the House is effectively exercising its oversight role by holding the executive to account. He noted that both ruling-party and opposition legislators participate in this work, pointing to opposition MPs who chair accountability committees and the space given on the floor for members to raise concerns.
Opposition Chief Whip Paul Mwiru, who attended the meeting, offered a similar assessment. He said the 12th Parliament, under Speaker Jacob Oboth-Oboth and Deputy Speaker Tayebwa, is cultivating a culture of mutual respect that was previously lacking and is providing opposition legislators with the space and resources needed to perform their duties.
“The atmosphere is that we can raise anything, we are on the right trajectory… the room exists for us to raise the issues,” Mwiru said. He added: “I want to thank the office of the Speaker because the oversight committees are now working very well; they are being facilitated.”
The meeting took place against the broader backdrop of Commonwealth principles that emphasise democratic institutions, parliamentary oversight and inclusive governance.
Uganda, as a long-standing member, has periodically engaged the Secretariat on institutional strengthening. The request for capacity building and digitisation reflects a wider trend among legislatures seeking to improve the quality of debate, the speed of information management and the accessibility of parliamentary work to the public-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
